The One I Hold Dearest
by Garfield413
Summary: Sequel to Innocence Lost: Lucy has been kidnapped. How can I find her and bring her home? I don't know what I'll do without her. There's no telling what he'll do to her. Oh God, I won't be able to live with myself if she dies. What the hell am I supposed to do now? ! NaLu
1. Prologue

_**Listen to "Crushed" by Lesley Roy while reading this chapter. Thanks.**_ :D

NOTE: I take requests.

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I grasp that piece of paper in my hands, and stare at it for a long time. At first, I feel numb. Strangely numb. I stare blankly at that cursed piece of paper, losing track of the time. I think it was an hour before I started coming to my senses. Out of the numbness rose a fiery inferno. I felt anger bubbling up inside of me, mixed with nausea and sorrow and anguish. It feels as if I were hit by a train, while inside of another train.

The one thought that rang through my head repeatedly was: "Lucy is gone. She can't be gone."

Suddenly, the note in front of me bursts into flame. There is a low rumble in my throat that slowly grows into a roar. I scream at the ceiling, clench my fists, and am suddenly engulfed in my own flames. A single tear falls from my eye.

Scenes flash before my eyes- The day we met. She was so beautiful that day, and every other day for that matter. I can't believe I didn't notice how incredible she was the second I laid my eyes on her. I can still smell her intoxicating scent. For some reason, she always smelled like strawberries. She was the kind of girl who didn't need deodorant, and I bet she'd still smell like a springtime meadow even if she went weeks without bathing.

I slowly collapse to my knees, still screaming. I can just feel her supple lips against mine. I can almost see her hair flowing from her face, like woven beams of sunshine. I loved how her doe brown eyes would stare into mine, looking straight past me and into my soul. She was-no, _is_ , my everything. All I know now is that I have to get her back. I just have to. We may have known each other for less than a year, but I love her. She's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Her laugh brings joy to my heart, her smile brings life to my soul, and even the way she sometimes snorts when she laughs too hard is just too cute.

 _Wait, when did I become this mushy and romantic?_ I ask myself. I am vaguely aware of the taste of my own blood. I stop screaming. My throat feels raw, but I don't care. I yell and bang my fists on the table in front of me, head down.

Being with Lucy has changed me in ways that I can't even comprehend. She brought out a side of me that even I wasn't familiar with.

I remember on one of our first dates, she told me that as a child, she loved frozen yogurt, so I took her to a place downtown that I thought she'd like. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I hate cold foods. I ended up giving myself a brain freeze from trying too hard to enjoy what I was eating. I didn't know what to do, so I started banging my head on the table we were at. When I looked up, she was laughing. As the cold faded away, I felt really embarrassed, which isn't normal. But, instead of making fun of me, she took two straws and stuck them in her mouth, pretending to be a walrus. She taught me that I don't have to be so self-conscious around her early on. It's a miracle that she is the way that she is, even after all she's been through. I guess we both bring out the best in each other.

It hurts to even think of that now.

I've made up my mind. I'm going to find Lucy and bring her back, even if it kills me. Even if that's the opposite of what Lucy would want me to do. I know she doesn't want me to get hurt, but I don't care. For her sake, I'll do anything.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I'M BACK! From now on, at least every other chapter I post will have a song to go with it. This chapter was inspired by Crushed, by Lesley Roy. At least, that was the song playing in the background as I typed. XD Now, I'm not going to be one of those "story starvers" or "Review Hogs", but as a reward for sticking by me through this whole story for thirty chapters and counting, I'm going to be a "request whore." No, I'm not going to follow Lucy's footsteps and become a prostitute. I'm going to actually be asking you guys for ideas that you want in the story. It can be in a review, or a private message. Your suggestions are what keeps this story alive, and without you, I won't be able to do this alone.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day. See you soon!

PS: I'm looking for something to use as a cover art for this story. PM me if interested, please. I'll give you full credit.


	2. Chained Down

Slowly, I am roused from my slumber. I open my eyes blearily, everything creeping into focus in front of me. I'm confused- I take a look around, and I realize that I'm in a cell, probably in some basement. It's really musty. I try to move, but I realize that my arms and legs are chained to the bedposts of a mattress. The chains that restrict my movement are solid steel, by the looks of it. I begin to panic and hyperventilate.

"Don't bother wasting your breath," A voice calls out. I look in the direction it came from, and I see a man in a purple cloak and a black eyepatch over his left eye. He was medium-length brown hair. For some reason, the scar goes over his eyepatch. He stood in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall, legs crossed. "I was wondering when you'd wake up… or if you'd wake up." He said dryly. His voice was low and almost monotone. He began to walk towards me.

"Who are you, and where are we?!" I demand. I tug at the chains. "What are you planning to do to me?!" I keep tugging at my chains, but to no avail.

"Like I said, don't bother with those chains. They're pure steel, and brand-new." The mysterious man said. "Also, don't bother screaming for help or something like that. No one is going to hear you. We're several miles away from the nearest neighboring house, and we're underground. There, that's the answer to one of your questions."

"You still haven't told me who you are and what you're going to do." I say, feeling strangely tired. "Why do I feel so sleepy?"

"You still haven't figured it out yet?" The man asked, bemused. He had one eyebrow raised. "My name is Hunter, but professionally, I go by another name."

"What is that other name?" I ask, holding back a yawn.

"Garrett." He said simply, sharpening a small knife with a rock. He glanced at me, laying on the bed, chained like an animal. "And you're sleepy because I gave you a rather high dosage of chloroform via an old rag, so you wouldn't wake up until you got here and I had you secure. I pretended to be your uncle to people who saw me carrying you, and I told them you had passed out from drinking too much. They seemed to buy it."

"Oh my God…" I gasp. "Y-You're the one…"

"The one who killed your parents? Yes, yes I am, but I was only following orders." Garrett said.

"But Simon just paid you to beat my father up! That's all!" I cry out.

"There seems to have been a miscommunication," Garrett began. "I'm an assassin, and I was hired by the people of Magnolia who have run into hard times."

"What are you talking about?" I growl. "I don't believe you. The people of Magnolia are better than this."

"Now it is _my_ turn to ask you what you are talking about. You and I know that that isn't true. You, of all people, should be able to realize that, considering who your father is." Garrett said. He tested the sharpness of his blade with his finger. A small bead of red appeared as he pricked it.

"W-What are you going to do to me?" I say, starting to panic again. All my eyes can focus on is the knife in his hand.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." He said soothingly. "I'm just going to keep you here until I can know in my heart that you won't tell a soul what I've done. 'No loose end left behind' is my motto. You can thank Simon for that. I know that he told you everything."

"How do you know that?!" I demand.

"You just confirmed it for me. Simon was always so predictable. I knew this would happen eventually, I just didn't know when." Garrett said. "So, I've been monitoring you."

"What do you mean, 'the people of Magnolia' hired you?" I ask, curious.

"In his relatively short life, your father has managed to make many enemies, rich and poor alike. He has ruined several families who are now just barely living on the streets. He has ruined many lives, stabbed many people in the back, and even betrayed his own wife. The people of Magnolia had had enough of him." Garrett said. "Many people say that he deserved it."

"I get why you had to kill my father, but why did you have to kill my mother?!" I sob, tears rushing down my face. I arch my neck to be able to meet his gaze. His dark brown eyes penetrate my soul. They look strangely like mine.

"I didn't want to kill her. She wasn't supposed to be there. I just had to cover my tracks." Garrett replied.

"Why, what could she have possibly meant to you?!" I demand again.

"I'd rather not say." He said, voice turning steely and harsh.

Suddenly, I look down, and realize that I'm barely clothed. My PJs are gone, and I'm wearing a pink bra and panties. "Where are my clothes?" I screech, trying to cover myself, but the chains are too short.

"They're over there," Garrett said, pointing to a pile in the corner of the room. I look at him in horror. He sees the fear in my eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you. I just had to make sure there was nothing you could use to hurt me. I'm not that kind of guy."

"Like hell you are," I snort. I take a closer look at his face. Without his scar, he'd look… good. He had a ruggedly handsome charm to him, but I won't have any of it. I want Natsu here by my side, not _him_. "If you're going to keep me here for long, you might as well tell me why my mother was so special to you."

"You're probably right," Garrett said, nodding. Then, he turned his head to look directly at my face. "Can't you see it in my eyes?" He said strangely.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I ask, confused.

"Never mind." He said, shaking his head. "It's not for you to know. At least, not yet."

"What are you not telling me, Garrett?" I plead. "Please tell me, I have to know! You know, for… closure."

"Soon, Lucy. Soon." He said vaguely.

"Why didn't you just take me like you took my mother?" I sob.

"Because I didn't need to. You never saw me, your testimony never would have stood. You didn't know anything." He said simply.

"Why don't you just kill me now?" I ask, confused. "I know everything now, I have evidence. I have Simon's letter."

"Because I don't want to. Contrary to popular belief, not all assassins love going on killing sprees and killing more people than they have to. I'll just have to keep you here until I figure out what to do with you. However, I assure you that this will not end in your death. Killing your mother is the hardest thing I've had to do, and I'm not willing to do it all again." He replied.

"Why the fuck did she mean so much to you?!" I yell.

"Yelling won't help you. You're just going to tire yourself out needlessly." He said, sighing. He placed the knife and the rock on a table. "Now, go back to sleep. You need to rest. Maybe I'll tell you when you wake up."

"It's too cold down here for me to sleep," I say. He sighs again, removing his coat. He gently places it on top of me, making sure every inch of me is covered except for my face.

"There, better?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you." I say curtly. I squirm this way and that. "Would you mind leaving the room so I can sleep and feel safe? You make me nervous."

"No. I need to make sure that you don't croak in your sleep." He said tiredly. He sounded as if he just wanted it all to end. Strange, for a cold-blooded assassin. Many things about him just don't add up. How come he looks like me?

"Oh. Thanks." I say awkwardly. I turn my head from him and close my eyes. I guess the chloroform still has some effect on me, because I feel as if I'm quickly falling aslee….

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! TacoTurtle here. I listened to a few songs on Pandora, and I found my inspiration for this story once again! Get ready for some serious plot twists. Sorry if some of my chapters are too short, though. In most cases, that just means either I felt it was the best place to end, or that there will be another update sooner than usual. Or both. Or not. It depends. Most of the time, it'll be both.

Happy reading!


	3. Exactly Who Are You?

When I wake up, Garrett is leaning against the wall next to me, eyes closed. I realize that he is once again wearing his purple coat, but I still feel warm. I look down and see that he has replaced his coat with a proper woolen blanket.

I guess he heard me stirring, because at that moment, he opened his eyes to look at me. "Sleep well?" He asked.

"Very well, thank you." I reply.

"Good," He says. "Are you hungry?"

"I have to admit that I'm kind of famished, actually…" I say, looking down, a little embarrassed.

"Wait one second." Garrett said, walking across the room, opening a door, and walking up the stairs behind it. He left the door open.

 _Is he taunting me by giving me a glint of freedom?_ I ask myself. _Is this some kind of mind game?_

For some reason, those possibilities didn't seem likely. If anything, it seemed as if he was… trying to make me feel comfortable. I don't know why, but I no longer feel scared. I should hate him, I should be afraid, but I don't and I'm not. If anything, there's a sense of… familiarity. His presence is vaguely comforting. Try as I might, I can't see him as a coldblooded killer. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person that would be that way. I trust him, strangely enough. I don't want to hurt him.

Before I can ponder more, he appeared in the doorway holding a ham sandwich, strawberry yogurt, a spoon, and a key. He walked over to my side, unlocked the chains on my wrists, and gave me the food.

"I know the yogurt isn't frozen, but it's the best I could do. I don't know if you like ham, beef, or chicken, though. I can't seem to remember." He said.

"Thank you, but how do you know what my favorite foods are?" I ask, sitting upright, careful to cover myself with the blanket he provided me.

"I think that the longer you stay here, the more we'll be able to learn about each other. You might be surprised." He said vaguely, dodging my question. "I'll tell you more as soon as I know I can trust you."

"If you know so much about me, then you should tell me something about yourself." I say, arms crossed. "Why did you take me, really?"

"Because there things that you need to know." He replied mysteriously. "Do you really want to know more about me, after what I've done?"

"I believe that I deserve an explanation, or at least some kind of closure." I say, arms still crossed defensively.

"Fine." He said, scratching his chin. "The money,"

"What about the money?" I ask.

"I gave all of the money I earned back to the people that gave it to me." He replied. "All of the poor souls on the street- I gave it back to them, along with all of my other worldly possessions. I felt so guilty about killing your mother, I purposefully lost everything to try and repent."

"Why was my mother so important to you?" I ask, desperate for answers.

"Killing your mother was a split-second decision made in the heat of the moment that I have regretted ever since. I panicked." He said, dodging my question again. "I quit my profession that night, and escaped to another country."

"You didn't answer my question," I say, irritated.

"Maybe next time, after you eat. You skipped breakfast and lunch, I'm not going to be responsible for you starving to death." He replied.

"Fine," I sigh. I take a bite of the sandwich. It's actually pretty good, it feels fresh. I take another huge bite, so only half is left. I glance up from it to see Garrett raising an eyebrow, slightly amused at the manner of which I was eating. I open the yogurt, and scarf it down with the spoon. I take another bite of the sandwich, and then another. Then, it is gone. I cover my mouth, letting out a small burp.

"Now will you tell me something?" I ask.

"A deal is a deal, I guess." Garrett said, clearing his throat. "There are more sides to this story than you think, you know."

"I know, Simon told me the other side." I say impatiently.

"He told you one of the many sides of the story, _his_ side." Garrett said. "There are infinite amounts of sides to every story, one for everyone and everything involved. You have yet to hear mine, and your mother's." He coughed. "Even the gun used could perceive things differently. For you, it did an evil thing. For it, it was just doing what it was born to do, as far as it was concerned."

"I see…" I say, understanding what he was saying. "What does this have to do with my question?"

"I knew your mother, before that night. About twelve years before, in fact."

"What?" I ask, perplexed.

"There's something I need to show you."


	4. It's in the Cards

NOTE: Read while listening to "Make it Back" by Lesley Roy.

-oOoOoOo-

"God damn it…" Natsu growled to Gray and Cana right outside his house.

"Calm down, Natsu." Gray replied, putting a hand on his shoulder, only to have it shoved away.

"Calm down? _Calm down?_ How the fuck am I supposed to _calm down?!_ " Natsu spat. "The love of my life is gone without a trace, and you expect me to _'calm down'?_ "

"I'm just saying that you having a heart attack and setting the town on fire is not the solution. Your fists are already flaming." Gray sighed.

"Gray has a point, Natsu. Tearing yourself apart and taking the whole town down with you is not going to bring her back." Cana said as comfortingly as possible.

Natsu sighed raggedly. "I'm sorry, guys. I don't mean to be an ass. It's just that I haven't slept for twenty-four hours, and this makes no sense. How can there be no scent trail for me to follow? Lucy's scent stops at the door, and for the life of me I can't smell anyone else." He shook his head.

"You said that this guy is a professional hitman, right?" Cana asked. "Maybe that's why. He knows how to clean up a crime scene. This place is sterile. There aren't any clues to be found."

"I still can't believe that Simon isn't the bad guy…" Natsu said. "I'm so confused. I still haven't completely forgiven him, but his story just makes sense for some reason. I remember once before he killed himself, I was about to take Lucy someplace, and he pulled me to the side and whispered in my ear, 'Make sure you take good care of her.' I thought he was being a sadistic nut, but now that I think of it, he seemed sincere."

"Let's focus on the _now_ , Natsu. We've got to get past that and focus on the present. Do you want Cana to read your fortune?" Gray asked.

"No… I don't want to." Natsu sighed.

"Why not?" Cana asked, head tilted to the side.

"Because I don't want to know if… something terrible happened to her. Honestly, I just think that if I let you do that, her fate is going to be set in stone. If we do that and it says that she's going to die or I'll never see her again, then it's definitely going to happen. Your predictions are that good. I trust that." Natsu paused. "Part of me thinks that if we hold off on that, then there's a chance that we can save her. Her fate won't be definite."

"If you say so," Gray said. "Do you think we should tell anyone about this? Her best friend probably deserves to know."

"I don't know… Garrett said not to involve anyone in this, or he'd kill her. It was risky enough for me to bring you into this." Natsu shook his head again. "I thought it was worth it because you're my best man, and my closest friend besides Happy and Lucy, and I trust Cana too."

"If I remember correctly, he only said to not involve the police." Cana pointed out. "He didn't say anything about friends or guild members."

"Maybe we can tell Levy and Gajeel, and probably Erza and Jellal." Gray said. "That way, not too many people are involved and we won't be detected as easily."

"You're probably right." Natsu sighed, standing up. "Thanks, guys." He wiped a tear from his eye. "I just have this sort of inner conflict. I just have a feeling deep down inside that this won't end well for me and Lucy, but the rest of me is in denial. I just keep thinking, 'This can't be the end. It just can't be,' but nothing can quell this sinking feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"It's probably nothing, Natsu. Just a bit of paranoia." Cana reassured him. "I'll read your fortune, but I'll only tell you what it is if it's good, just to be sure. I think everything is going to be just fine."

"That's a good idea," Gray said, nodding.

"Fine." Natsu sighed despondently as Cana brought out her cards.

She shuffled them quickly, then spread some of them out in front of her on the ground face down. She mumbled to herself, while slowly flipping the cards over one by one. When she reached the final card, she looked up.

"This basically means that things will not go as expected." She said, finally.

"Well, that helps." Gray said. "See? That could be a good thing. It could mean that it could not be as bad as you expect it to be."

"Or it could mean that what Cana expects to happen won't happen. Which is Lucy coming back safe and sound." Natsu said.

"Since when are you so pessimistic?" Cana asked, eyebrow raised.

"Ever since I lost my good side." Natsu grunted. "Let's go back to the guild hall. I need a drink. Or five."

"Careful, Natsu. That's how you get an addiction." Cana said jokingly.

"Oh, look who's talking." Natsu said. "Up until you started dating Gray, you've practically been married to your barrels."

"Just leave it up to us, Natsu. We'll find her. You need some sleep." Gray said.

"Are you kidding me?" Natsu replied. "I won't sleep until Lucy is right here next to me. I will travel to the ends of Earthland to find her!"

"You can't do worth shit if you die of sleep deprivation, numbskull." Gray sighed. He expected this comment to enrage Natsu to the point of starting a brawl like usual, but this time, all Natsu did was sigh.

"You're probably right…" He said. "I'm going to bed. Tomorrow, though, I'm checking on your progress and having a few drinks."

"I'll pay your tab. I've had a lot of extra money since I stopped drinking." Cana said.

"Thanks again, guys." Natsu said tiredly. He began to walk to his door, when Gray put a hand on his shoulder.

"You know that we're all here for you, right?" Gray said.

"Yeah, I know." Natsu said with a faint smile, removing Gray's hand from his shoulder. He went into his house, shutting the door behind him. He went to his bed, and collapsed in it face-down, not bothering to change clothes. He inhaled Lucy's lingering scent, savoring it and memorizing it. It lulled him into a deep sleep.


	5. Memories Lost

LISTEN WITH "NEED YOU RIGHT NOW" BY BETHANY MOTA

"Exactly what are you going to show me?" Lucy asked Garrett quizzically, tilting her head. What could he possibly have to show her?

"Wait here." Garrett grunted. He walked up the stairs. Lucy listened as his footsteps faded away. She sighed. She sat on the table, swaddled in the fleece blanket Garrett gave her. She sighed, sitting on the mattress, legs hanging over the edge, swinging. She wondered how Natsu was doing at that moment. Probably worrying about her, she thought.

 _I hope he's okay,_ she thought to herself. _He must be worried sick._

She was lost and confused. One second, she was the happiest girl in the world, and the next, a single letter turned her entire world upside down the second she read it. Now, a strange man has kidnapped her, the man who really killed her parents, and he was treating her kindly. More kindly than her father ever treated her.

Almost as kind as… her mother, strangely. She didn't expect that from a former assassin. She shook her head. She couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity she had with this mysterious man.

" _Can't you see it in my eyes?"_ He had asked her. She had no idea what he meant by that. Strange. What could he have meant? Exactly how observant did he think she was? What was he playing at? All she knew was that her heart yearned for her to be near Natsu. To smell him, to hug him, to kiss him, to feel his skin against hers...

She heard footsteps coming down the stairs, so she turned to face the door.

Garrett appeared, holding a large box that looked quite heavy. He walked over to her, and placed the box next to her. He unsheathed his knife, and held it high above his head. Lucy flinched as he brought it down and stabbed the box open with it. He cut the tape that sealed it, opening it up. Lucy leaned over to take a look inside.

"What is that?" She asked.

"A walk down memory lane." Garrett said simply. The first thing he pulled out was a doll. She was made of cloth, with yarn for hair, which was tied up with a pretty little red ribbon. She wore a robin's egg blue dress,

"What exactly are you trying to show me?" Lucy asked, confused.

"You mean you don't remember?" He asked, a hurt look on his face. He frowned for a second, and then his face went blank.

"No. Why, should I?" Lucy asked again, more confused than ever. "And what did you mean by _'Can't you see it in my eyes?"_

"Nothing." Garrett grunted, handing the doll to her. He pulled out a binky, a small blanket the color of cotton candy, a medallion on a chain necklace, a letter, and a photograph. He gave her the bubblegum-colored binky, the blanket, and the silver medallion. He took out a mirror from his pocket.

"What does this all mean?" She asked. He sighed, as if he were disappointed. "What are you trying to show me?"

"Do me a favor and look into this mirror, and then look at me." He said, handing it to her. She put the other things to the side and took it in her hands. She looked at Garrett, and to her reflection. She looked again. And again. And again. She squinted her eyes, trying to see what he was talking about.

"I don't get it, what are you talking about?" She said, voice getting tense from the frustration of not being able to find what she was looking for, and not knowing what she was supposed to look for in the first place. She slammed the mirror onto the mattress she was sitting on with a _thud_

"Here. Take this." Garrett said, finally handing her the photograph. She took it in her hands reluctantly. She flipped it over.

What she saw next completely baffled her.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE- OMG, I AM SOOOO SORRY for not updating. I've been swamped with schoolwork for a long time, and on top of that I got writer's block. I ended up getting some inspiration- for another story. I've been working on that new story ever since. However, I won't abandon you guys. Not completely, anyway.

So that this never happens again, I'm looking for someone, an alternate author, who can fill in the blanks when I cannot. Someone with fresh, new ideas for this story, and/or can take over whenever I don't have the time.

If you want to be that author, PM me with a message stating why you want to help out and a short sample of what you can do. I'd really appreciate it.

Also, sorry if this chapter seemed short. The cliffhanger wouldn't have worked if I put it anywhere else. I'm also busy researching for a huge essay. This story is obviously going to be a lot shorter than Innocence Lost, and I apologise profusely for that.

Anyway, I hope you still like this story anyway. Be sure to leave a review or follow! Your choice.


	6. An Unexpected Father

"Garrett, what is this?" Lucy asked. "I don't understand." She said, beginning to tremble.

"That's you, me, and your mother when you were three." Garrett replied simply. He twirled his knife in the air.

"I don't get it… Why are you in this picture? Why am _I_ in this picture?!" Lucy asked, starting to panic.

"Relax. Take a deep breath. Breathe." Garrett instructed. Lucy complied. "Seventeen years ago, I met your mother in a bar while profiling a target." He began. "She was very drunk, crying by herself in the corner, all alone, a drink in her hand." He paused. "Against all of my professional instincts, I walked over to her and asked her what was wrong.

"She told me that she was sad, because she and her boyfriend got into a fight. She didn't look up at me once, she was so depressed. She must have been in such a despair for her to open up to a dangerous stranger like me." Garrett said. "Anyway, from what I heard, he wasn't exactly a stand-up guy. Borderline abusive, actually. And she was just so beautiful that I couldn't help but feel for her." He paused. "We talked for half the night, she finally looked up, our eyes met, and one thing led to another… and eight months later, you were born."

Lucy's heart dropped in her chest. "W-what?"

"I was in love with your mother, but she was convinced that her relationship was worth saving." Garrett sighed. "For the first four years of your life, she let me spend time with you. After that, she realized how foolish she had been and threatened to have your memory wiped clean of me. I see now that she followed through with that promise. That woman loved her husband to an unbelievable degree, no matter how much he hurt her. She told me to go away and never look back. So I did. Until five years ago."

"When the townsfolk reached out to you to get rid of Jude." Lucy finished, coming to a certain level of understanding.

"Exactly." Garrett said, nodding. "That was my last job. After that, I swore never to do contract killing again."

"Oh my God," Lucy said, rocking back and forth. "This is just… too much information for me to process right now."

"I know. That's why I needed to make sure we were alone when we talked about this." He replied. "Away from prying eyes and ears."

"You're my father… I can't believe that you're my father." Lucy said, shivering. She had an odd feeling in her stomach. "There's so much more I need to know. So many loose ends. Where do I even begin?"

"Jude apparently started out as a nice guy, but sometime over the years, something inside of him snapped. He became withdrawn. Cold. Callous. Violent." Garrett explained. "He became emotionally abusive first, and he started to hit your mother a while after they got married. Slaps turned into punches, punches turned into beatings."

"But… why? Why would he do that? Why don't I remember any of this?" Lucy asked, aghast.

"It's because your mother continually had your memory wiped. She loved you even more than she loved Jude, and she wanted you to grow up like a normal girl." Garrett replied.

"If that's true, why didn't she replace my entire memory with something happier? I remember my father… I mean, Jude, being a terrible father. He was mean and moody and prone to exploding." Lucy asked.

"She wanted to leave enough to make sure that you remained yourself." Garrett explained carefully. "She didn't want to leave you completely in the dark. She wanted you to learn from your past."

"I can't believe it… I had no idea." Lucy said.

"Me killing Jude was not a miscommunication between me and Simon," he said. "I couldn't hold in my anger. His treatment of Layla infuriated me. I thought that because of all the horrible things he has done on this earth, he shouldn't be allowed to live."

"This may be messed up, but if I were in your shoes, given the right conditions, I… might have done something similar in your place." Lucy sighed. She couldn't help but side with Garrett… and now she knew why. Everything made sense now. Well, almost everything.

"If you left when I was five, how do you know so much about me?" She asked.

"I've been monitoring you on and off whenever I can, to make sure you stayed alive, and just in case your memory suddenly came back." He replied. "I never showed my face because I was afraid of what you'd think of me."

"But you're my _father_ , you're _supposed_ to have told me!" Lucy cried, tearing up. "You could have at least said something, or at least tried to be in my life."

"If I had told you half of what I have just told you back then, do you think you would have had the same reaction?" Garrett asked logically.

"...No, but still. Why did you have to leave me with _him_? And with Simon?" Lucy asked, beginning to cry. She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, but more kept coming.

"I left you with Jude because he was with your mother, and she threatened to sell me out to the police if I came too close. As sweet and beautiful as she was, she was as stubborn as a bull." Garrett said. "Same thing with Simon- he resented me for killing Layla, and he wouldn't let me near you. I didn't know that he never realized that his testimony could have put me on death row, so I stayed away."

"How did you know Simon told me the truth about what happened?" Lucy asked, gasping for breath between sobs.

"I'm the one who delivered the letter." He said simply.

"But the seal wasn't broken," Lucy argued.

"I have many friends with many talents," He replied.

"You could have destroyed the letter and fled the country," Lucy said, wide-eyed. She stared at Garrett. "Why didn't you?"

"Because you're my responsibility, and you deserve to know the truth." He said. "I've been running from it for so long, and I'm getting tired, to be honest." They sat in silence for a few minutes.

Without thinking, Lucy sprang up from the mattress she was on, and hugged Garrett. He froze, stunned. After a while, he began to hug her back. He pulled away. "Are you seriously choosing to forgive me? After what I've done?"

"Mostly," Lucy said, giving a small smile. "I mean, you _are_ my father after all, so I guess I'm going to have to at least try to."

"Really?" Garrett said, blinking.

"Really." She said, hugging him again. "You did love her, right? You did that all for her?"

"Yes… yes, I did." Garrett sighed.

"One of the rules my mom gave me growing up was to forgive and forget," Lucy said. "It will take some time, but… I'm going to forgive you." She laughed halfheartedly. "I've had to forgive others for much worse. I barely even remember my mother anymore… She seems like a total stranger now."

"I cleared your father's office and took some of you and your mother's things after the police left and stopped investigating." Garrett said suddenly. "I wanted to search through those boxes of things to find answers, but I figured that I should wait until you were ready to do the same."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… Thank you." Lucy said.

"What are you thanking me for?" Garrett asked.

"For waiting for me, and watching over me. And if you and Simon never did what you did, I may have never met Natsu." Lucy replied. "I know it's a horrible thing to say, but… I'm a little glad things played out the way they did." There was a short silence.

"Are you ready to go upstairs?" Garrett asked tentatively. "We can find more answers there."

After a moment of hesitation, Lucy said…

"Yes."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, TacoTurtle here with a new chapter :D Finally. I thought this plot twist would be really obvious, so sorry if it was to you.

Anyways, I found a song that would be _p_ _erfect_ for Lucy. It's _Unbreakable_ by Fireflight.

See ya next time, whenever that is. FYI I've been pretty busy with sophomore year of highschool, so it might be a while until the next time I post an update.

Thanks so much for being so understanding!

I'm not going to ask for reviews and favorites, cuz that is sooo last story lol.

BAI


	7. The Missing Link

"WHAT?!" Erza yelled, infuriated beyond reason. "That man will _pay_ for what he did to Lucy, _IN BLOOD!_ " She raised her sword in the air, ready to cut someone down.

"Lu-chan! Oh my God, what's going to happen to her?!" Levy screamed.

Gray, Natsu, and Cana stood in the guild hall, trying to calm their friends down after telling them the news.

"Nothing is going to happen to her, mark my words." Natsu growled. "We are going to find her, and bring her _home_. Then we're going to take care of that Garrett bastard and let him rot in hell where he belongs."

"Do you know where he took her?" Gajeel asked.

"No… I couldn't divine their location, which could be caused by a special spell, barrier, or ancient artifact." Cana said, shaking her head. "We can't reach her using long-distance magic."

"God damn it!" Natsu yelled, pounding his fist on the table.

"Wait… So we can't divine where she is, we can't reach her telepathically, and there's no sign of a scent trail? How the hell are we supposed to find her?" Gajeel asked incredulously.

"We're going to have to do this the old fashioned way." Levy said logically. "Put our noses to the ground, ask around, and look for clues like bloodhounds."

"That's going to take ages! That's time we don't have." Natsu said. "Every second we spend is a chance that something terrible happened to Lucy."

"You got a better idea, bigshot?" Gajeel growled, glaring at him.

"I have an idea…" Cana said tentatively. "Lucy is a Celestial Spirit wizard, right?"

"Yeah, so?" Natsu replied. "Where are you going with this?"

"Oh! I know!" Levy said, jumping up and down. "We can use a special spell to contact one of the spirits she has a contract with, and see if they can tell where she is from the Celestial Spirit world!"

"That's a load of bullshit." Gray snorted. "Don't you need to be a Celestial Spirit wizard for that to work? Specifically the one the spirit has a contract with?"

"Actually, it's possible." Jellal said. Everyone flinched, because they had forgotten he was there. "I know of a spell that can call spirits from another plane of existence."

"Really?" Natsu asked, dumbfounded.

"Me too! It's normally used to communicate with the dead, but it's mostly ambiguous." Levy said excitedly. "Natsu, do you still have her keys?"

"I have no idea, I have to check." He said. "I still don't know how this will work even if the spell _does_ work."

"It's rather simple," Jellal said. "Celestial Spirits and their wizards have a bond that connects them. A link, if you will."

"One way or another, on of them is bound to know where she is!" Levy cheered.

"Comrades! We shall find this spell, attain these keys, and save Lucy! _To arms!"_

" _YEAH!"_


	8. Paper Dolls

Lucy and Garrett ascended from the basement, into a small living room, crowded with boxes of documents and small trinkets.

"What are these?" Lucy asked, picking up a folder from a cardboard box. She opened it.

"This house is filled with things I took from your childhood home, which I thought you would need when you were older." Garrett replied. "This room is filled with legal documents and files from your father's office."

"There seems to be a lot of them," Lucy said, flipping through the papers. "Do you know what's in them?"

"No, I decided that you should have the first look." Garrett answered. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Can you help me look through them? You know, for important stuff?" She asked.

"Ok." He grunted, starting to shuffle through the folders in another box.

After a few minutes, Lucy froze. "Garrett…"

"Yes, Lucy?" He replied, looking up from his papers.

"I found my father's will."

"And?" Garrett said, putting his papers down momentarily.

"I'm not on it."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: OMG guys I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated and that this chapter is short as hell. During the second semester of my sophomore year, I had a relapse of depression and my ADHD meds stopped working _just_ when things started getting twice as hard. I had to put my fanfiction on hold because I was _literally_ on the verge of failing the 10th grade. I then spent an entire month in the hospital over the summer due to a serious allergic reaction to a mood stabilizing medication, which I almost died from.

I survived and am now a junior (yay) and my workload is a bit lighter because I have fewer academic classes. I'm still struggling, though. The symptoms of the allergic reaction haven't completely gone away, and my ADHD is getting worse.

Don't worry, I still FULLY INTEND to finish this story, but it will just take some more time. Thank you so much to the people who chose to stick with me, and even to the people who unfollowed but still wonder every once in a while, "What happened to that story/author?"

Cheers,

TacoTurtle


	9. Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

**BONUS: A little song/poem I wrote for Layla, about her abusive relationship with Jude. Enjoy.**

 _Hold me dear,  
_ _Hold me close  
_ _You're the one  
_ _I love the most_

 _Lend your ear,  
_ _I'm comatose  
_ _What is next?  
_ _Our final toast_

 _For all of my light  
_ _That I've burned out  
_ _I will forgive  
_ _Your final clout_

 _Please be good,  
_ _Fare thee well  
_ _It's time to end  
_ _Our final spell_

 _I'll forgive  
_ _I'll forget  
_ _You're the one  
_ _I won't regret_

 _I'll forgive,  
_ _I'll forget  
_ _Tell me,  
_ _Am I broken yet?_

* * *

"You're not on it? What do you mean, _you're not on it_?" Garrett asked, raising his eyebrow. Lucy froze, eyes widening by the second as she read the legal document with disbelief. "Weren't you his only heir?"

"Yes! At least, that's what I thought…" Lucy said, shaking. "I know he was a terrible person for abusing me and my mother, but… He didn't leave us _anything?_ "

"Didn't you receive some sort of inheritance when Natsu freed you?" Garrett inquired, setting the papers he was holding onto a pile of boxes. He crossed his arms across his chest, with a look of urgent concentration on his face.

"No, nothing. Natsu said he made sure the government knew I existed and that I was a free person, but I never got anything. The only thing I got was from Simon, my mother's engagement ring. No one gave me any of Jude's possessions, or his money." Lucy said, tearing up. "All I see here are his business associates, and-" she paused, covering her mouth with her hand, gasping. "Oh my god,"

"What is it?" Garrett asked.

"Jude…" Lucy said, with pure disbelief.

"What about him?" He questioned.

"He had another family." Lucy said, trembling more and more with each word.

"What?" Garrett said, eyes widening.

"He gave everything to his daughter… Morgana Rhiamon, and her mother, Kelvyra." Lucy said, not believing her eyes. "I can't believe it… He treated us so horribly, and in the end, we got what, nothing?"

"How did I not know this?" Garrett growled, anger swelling within. "Of course… All this time, I've been keeping an eye on you and Layla, but it never occurred to me to do more digging on Jude."

"How could he do this? After all he's done to us, how could he be so cruel?" Lucy cried. "Were we nothing to him? Did we not _mean_ anything to him? Did he ever even love us?" She sobbed into her birth father's chest, leaning on him. He wrapped an arm around her ever so gently, not used to comforting others.

"It's okay, Lucy. It's all going to be okay." Garrett said calmly. "The important thing is, there are others more deserving of your attention that love you. Jude doesn't matter. Layla was, and is, a very loved person." He paused. "It's better to focus on what you have left, not what you lost."

"I know you're right, but… I just can't believe it." Lucy sighed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Who is Morgana, and what did _she_ do to deserve his love?"

"I will look into it, but meanwhile, I want you to keep looking through these boxes and see if there's anything you want to keep for yourself." Garrett said, letting her go. "Are you going to be alright by yourself for a while?"

"Yes, I think." Lucy sighed again. "I… I just need some time to think."

"Alright," Garrett said, fastening his belt and putting on his purple coat. "If you need anything, the kitchen is down there, and my bedroom is to the left. There is a bathroom connected to the bedroom. Feel free to use anything in the house, but don't go outside."

"Why not?" Lucy asked.

"Inside of this house, is the only place that you're safe from anyone who may want to hurt you." He responded.

"Who would want to hurt me?" Lucy asked, confused.

"This situation is incredibly complex, I'm not taking any chances," Garrett grunted.

"Okay, I won't. Just one more thing," Lucy said.

"Yes?" Garrett said.

"Where are we?" Lucy inquired, tilting her head to the side.

"In my country house in Edolas." He replied. He turned to go, and then stopped and reached into a box, taking out a glass orb the size of a human skull. He handed it to Lucy. "Here is a communication orb, call me if there's anything wrong."

"How do I use it?" She asked.

"Just hold it and say my name three times."

"Okay… Be careful," Lucy said, a small smile on her face.

"I will." Garrett said, walking towards the door. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Thank you… Dad." With those words, a look of surprise flashed across his face.

Then, he shook himself briefly, and headed out, saying "No problem, Lu-lu."

* * *

-oOoOo-

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I'm back, with some fresh new ideas! I've been having a tough time lately. I realized that my best friend wasn't _really_ my best friend... and I wasn't his. I fucked up real bad, I was so emotionally unstable that I bitched him out twice about how it felt like I was "Friends with a rock that had an emotional IQ of negative 34".

I mean, I stayed up past 5 am on a school night comforting him whenever he had anxiety attacks, several times. I've done everything I could to be a good friend and always be there for him, but he just wasn't capable of reciprocating. He could barely handle his own emotions, much less mine.

I feel so guilty now, and I honestly feel like a piece of shit. He won't answer his phone, and he's avoiding me at school, so I can't apologize properly.

I forgave him whenever he snapped at me, but again, he couldn't do the same. It took one fight to end our friendship, and he wasn't even part of it. I bitched him out via text message, because of my insane fear of abandonment. I felt like I was losing him, and because of that, I fulfilled my own prophecy. And you know what? Out of the dozens of texts I sent him, he didn't reply to one.

I guess we're both shitty friends.


	10. ANNOUNCEMENT

Sorry it's been so long, but I have an announcement.

I have chosen to discontinue my work in fan fiction, and am moving to other websites. I am currently writing a book called "Hooters! The Musical" about a barn owl named Timothy, in a post-apocalyptic world where birds have replaced humans as the Earth's sentient species.

I will be posting some short stories on FictionPress as well.

I might pop back in every once in a while when the temptation to write fan fiction becomes too strong, though.

I'll try to wrap up my current works as best I can, but I've long since lost the inspiration, so I feel like completing them now will just leave everyone more disappointed than they would be if I had just never come back.

I won't be deleting my account, and I am open to any of you guys who are still here PMing me.

Q&A:

Q1: Why have you made this decision?

A: Trust me, it's not because I've grown bored, or that I think I'm 'too good' for fan fiction now that I'm working on more original projects. It's also not because I don't appreciate you guys as fans. In truth, it's partially because back when I was active on this website, I was having a tough time with depression, anxiety, and paranoid schizophrenia. There were times when I wanted to just stop existing. The reason why I'm leaving fan fiction is the same as the reason why I no longer listen to Evanescence and Three Days Grace: They all take me back to a time when I was vulnerable and didn't feel safe, or comfortable in my own skin.

Q2: Seriously? Is that all?

A: No, actually. The other part is that I want to make a name for myself. I want to be an actual, published author with books you can read in a library. I want to prove that I _can_ write my own characters and stories, without piggybacking off of some other writer. Not that I think fan fiction is less valid, it's just... I don't know. Ever since I shook off the depression and all that, I've discovered who I am as a person without the mental illnesses. I've gotten a glimpse of what "ok" feels like- and I'm addicted. I finally have hopes and dreams beyond "finding a reason to live" and "be happy, for once." The freedom is invigorating, and I want to experience all of it.

Q3: Where can I find you?/Please don't leave!

A: I'm not technically leaving, as I am not deleting my account. You can still PM me if you want. If you are craving closure for the stories I'm unfortunately leaving behind, I can a) PM you a short custom ending, b) PM you the basic details so you can make your own ending, or c) answer your questions through private messaging.

A2: If you really want to see where I'm at/where I'm going as an author, here's where you can reach me:  
-Google+ as Joli C. Spencer  
-ffgarfield413 g mail . com  
-FictionPress, with the same username as my FanFiction account.

Q4: Are you discontinuing Innocence Lost and its sequel?

A: Yes. Why? Because I feel that it overly romanticizes many concepts contained within it- Like pr*stitution, for example. Not to mention human trafficking and what essentially counts as r pe. It has many adult topics in it, but it's marked as "Teen" and doesn't quite have the maturity or writing style necessary to make it rated M. If this explanation doesn't satisfy you, please read my answer to Q1. If you HAVE to have closure, please read Q3.

If you have any other questions, please PM me.

Thank you all so much for the love and support that you've given me, I really don't deserve it. I'm posting this announcement to all my stories. I know there's not that big a chance that anyone has stayed long enough to see this, but it had to be said. You guys are the reason I'm at where I am today as a writer. You kept me going, you gave me a reason to keep writing- you even inspired me to take that creative writing class junior year. If it weren't for you, I probably never would have gone down the path I did, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I came to this website a caterpillar- it was a long, and, at times, terrifying road, but I've finally broken out of my cocoon. I'm not a butterfly yet, but thanks to you, I'm on my way.


End file.
